Free Range Pickin' Holiday Show

The fourth annual holiday show of Free Range Pickin', the local new-grass quartet with a chicken fetish, happily coincides with the release of its third album, Flight Risk, which apparently has more to do with poultry than public enemy number one. Sporting all original tunes, the new disc strays a bit toward the folk end of things, with fewer instrumentals and a contemplative bent to the lyrics, banjoist/guitarist Tony Ihrig reports. "Closer to Alison Krauss than Del McCoury," he says. Dobro and electric guitar have been added to FRP's instrumental array, but sadly, nary a tune about barnyard fowl. Speaking of which, FRP's six-foot chicken mascot has gone to that great coop in the sky, although plenty of other quirky visual aids should be on display during the seasonal extravaganza, along with some holiday tunes and covers favoring the likes of Johnny Cash and the Grateful Dead. Opening will be the Get Up Johns, but not in their usual configuration of Josh Wenck and Jake Hyer, whose close country harmonies put them solidly in Louvins and Everlys territory. Hyer has reportedly left the duo, while Wenck is carrying on at least for the time being with Darren Jackson of Kid Dakota and the Hopefuls filling in.
Fri., Dec. 14, 8 p.m., 2007